REGION IV Mountain Pacific Championships
2017 FORMAT AND RULES
12U State Champion Bracket
These rules apply to the 2017 Region IV Mountain Pacific Championships, 12U State Champion
Bracket.
A. ELIGIBLE AGE GROUP
12U YEARS OLD OR YOUNGER Boys and Girls
B. SCHEDULES: The Region IV Event Committee is responsible for developing the scheduling
of all matches during the event.
C. TEAM ELIGIBILITY
SECTION 1: All players must be properly registered and rostered in accordance with the rules
of US Youth Soccer (Policy on Players and Playing Rules, 104 and 201) and of their State
Association.
a) The team must demonstrate continuity of rosters by maintaining a minimum of five (5) players
common to the roster between their State Association and Region IV competition
D. ROSTERS, PASSES AND UNIFORMS
SECTION 1: ROSTER FREEZE DATES. States will identify a freeze date for their team
rosters. Event Rosters will be frozen on June 6, 2017. Any modification to a team’s roster
after the Roster Freeze date will require permission from their State Association.
SECTION 2: ROSTER REQUIREMENTS. Prior to the Roster Freeze Date, each team should
validate the information entered into their State Association’s data base.
a) Rosters are capped at no more than 18 players.
b) All players listed on their roster must display:
 Name as shown on proof of age document; and
 Correct birth date for player; and
 US Youth Soccer Member Pass Card ID Number; and
 Jersey number and alternate jersey number.
c) Roster must list:
 Name of State Association; and
 Name of team, age group of team, and gender of team; and
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
Names, addresses, phone numbers of team officials (coach and manager).
d) The roster has been signed by the State Association Representative or their designee and
the team coach attesting all documentation is correct and true.
e) The team’s roster and player passes must be available at the field of play at all times.
SECTION 3: PLAYER/COACH PASSES. Each player and team official listed on a team roster
must carry the US Youth Soccer member pass with a current photograph of the player or team
official, as the case may be. Passes must be signed by the appropriate official of the State
Association. The member pass issued to a player shall identify the club by name or other
appropriate means of identification.
It is recommended that player and coach passes be:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Laminated in plastic. No open sides or ends.
Hole-punched in upper left-hand corner and placed on an open lock ring.
In roster order on the ring.
Coach/Assistant Coach cards also are placed on the ring.
Each team is limited to four (4) team officials in the Technical Area. (i.e. coaches, assistant
coaches, managers, team trainers). Coaches must have a pass for each team he/she is
associated with and this pass will count as one of the four (4) allowed. Approved trainers or
club trainers may also be in the technical area with properly issued credentials from the
State Association.
SECTION 4: UNIFORMS.
a) Each player shall have a number on the player’s jersey. The number shall be affixed to
the back of the jersey and shall be clearly visible. Each player on a team must wear a
number different from the number of every other player including goalkeepers. Duplicate
numbers are NOT permitted. Players MUST bring an alternate colored jersey which is also
numbered with the same number as on the primary jersey. No jewelry may be worn during
a match (allowances for medical alert bracelets and necklaces if in the opinion of the
referee they do not present an inherent danger to any player).
b) Any tape or any material applied or worn externally must be the same color as that part
of the sock it is applied to or covers (this applies to all material and not just tape).
c) Undershorts/tights must be the same color as either the main color of the shorts or the
lowest edge/bottom (hem) of the shorts; the team must wear the same color.
d) A player or team official may only wear the logo of US Youth Soccer, the logo of a team
State Association or logo of any State Association sponsor, their individual club and/or
team logo or team sponsor logo, manufacturer uniform logo. Anything not conforming to
the above must be removed, replaced, or covered before the player or team official may
continue to remain at the game site or field of play.
D. SUBSTITUTIONS: Substitutions shall be unlimited and can occur at any stoppage of play
with the permission of the Referee.
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E. INCLEMENT WEATHER
In the event that inclement weather affects the competition, the Event Committee reserves
the right to make all decisions concerning this competition. The decisions of the Committee
are final, not subject to appeal.
F. GAME BALLS
All games will be played using size #4 balls. In the event a game ball is not provided, the
Referee will make a choice from balls offered by both teams.
G. GRACE PERIODS
Any team not ready to play at the scheduled start time shall be granted a 15-minute grace
period. A minimum of six (6) players constitutes a legal team. Any team not ready to play at
the expiration of the grace period shall be deemed to have forfeited the game. The Event
Committee may extend this grace period for extraordinary situations.
H. HOME TEAM – VISITING TEAM
Home team listed first in the schedule will wear light colored jerseys and socks. Visiting team
listed second will wear dark colored jersey and socks. The Referee may use his/her
discretionary judgement to resolve sock color conflicts.
I.
TECHNICAL AREA
Players and team officials must remain in the technical area on the same side of the field of
play. A maximum of four (4) team officials, (i.e. coach, assistant coach, manager, trainer) is
permitted in the Technical Area. Parents and spectators will be on the opposite side of the
field from the Technical Area. Team officials must display their identification passes as
provided by the Region IV Event Committee.
J. FORFEITURE RULE
In the event that a team forfeits one of its preliminary games, the opposing team shall be
awarded three (3) points for a win, and the forfeiting team zero (0) points for the loss. In the
event that goal differential becomes a factor in future tie-breaking procedures, the goals
counted for the forfeited game shall be determined by taking the average of the goals scored
and allowed by the team in their remaining preliminary games.
K. FINES FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR OR PERFORM
SECTION 1: Any team that drops within the three (3) week window prior to the scheduled
event will not have their registration fee refunded. That money will be transferred to the
replacement team’s fees.
SECTION 2: Based on circumstances involved, the Event Committee may levy a fine up to
$1,000 for games forfeited during the regional event including teams who withdraw. This fine
may be dispersed to any team(s) adversely affected by the forfeiture(s). All fines will be
assessed to the team’s State Association and must be paid within 30 days of the completion
of the regional event. The Region IV Cup Committee shall have the authority to refuse entry
to any team from a state with unpaid fines at the time of entry the following year, including
Region IV Presidents Cup and Far West Regionals.
L. STAY-TO-PLAY POLICY:
Traveling teams are required to follow the current Region’s STAY-TO-PLAY policy while
participating in the event.
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M. SCORING METHOD FOR PRELIMINARY MATCHES
In the preliminary rounds, team standings shall be determined by the accumulation of points
awarded as follows:
Win (including forfeit): 3 points
Tie: 1 point
Loss: 0 points
There will be no overtime periods in preliminary rounds. If teams are tied at the end of
regulation play, each team will be awarded one (1) point.
N. TIE BREAKERS
In the event where two or more teams have accumulated an equal number of points within
any group and are tied on the basis of points earned at the conclusion of preliminary play, the
team’s placement will be determined in accordance with the following sequential criteria.
Tiebreakers will be considered in order until the tie is broken, then restarted to break the
remaining tie. This tie-breaking procedure shall be used if necessary to determine 1st and
2nd place standings within a flight, as well as determining the best 3rd place teams:
a) Head to head results
b) Winner of the most games
c) Cumulative goal differential between goals scored and goals allowed in all games played
within the team's flight. Maximum difference allowed is four (4) goals per game.
d) Least goals allowed in all games played within the team's flight.
e) Kicks from the penalty mark at a time determined by the Event Committee.
If more than two teams are tied at the end of the preliminary round, the tie-breaking criteria
will be used in the order shown, beginning at #2, to either advance or eliminate one team.
The remaining teams will then be compared, beginning with #2 to determine the final
placement.
O. OVERTIME PERIODS (For Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Championship Games Only)
If a game is tied at the end of regulation play, two complete overtime periods of 5 minutes will
be played. If a game is still tied at the end of the prescribed overtime play, FIFA “Kicks from
the Penalty Mark” rules will apply in order to determine the winner using the 9 players on the
field at the conclusion of the second overtime and following the FIFA Laws of the Game.
P. RULES OF PLAY
Except as provided herein, rules of US Youth Soccer and The International Football
Association Board “Laws of the Game” 2016/2017 shall apply to the competition.
a) Discipline - Players and coaches who dismissed from the field of play/receive a red card in
any game shall be automatically suspended for the next game. Their pass card will be retained
at the Headquarters and may be picked up by a team representative at the completion of the
suspension. All disciplinary action will be reviewed by the Event Committee additional
penalties or suspensions may be assessed.
b) Unfinished Games – Unfinished games, due to any cause, will be replayed from the start,
provided that neither team is at fault nor play has not begun in the second half. If play is
stopped after completion of the first half, and cannot be resumed as determined by the Event
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Committee, and provided neither team is at fault, the Event Committee may deem the game
completed. Should play be stopped at any time due to one of the teams being adjudged at
fault, it shall be at the discretion of the Event Committee as to whether the game is to be
replayed, stand as is, or declared a forfeit.
Q. DURATION OF GAMES AND NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Age Group
Game
Length
Halftime
Number of Players
Overtime Periods for Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Championship Matches
11U Years
Old and
Younger
Two 30
min.
halves
10 min.
8 Field Players and
1 goalkeeper
Two 5 min. halves
12U Years
Old and
Younger
Two 30
min.
halves
10 min.
8 Field Players and
1 goalkeeper
Two 5 min. halves
R. CONCUSSION PROTOCAL
US Soccer, US Youth Soccer Concussion Procedure and Protocol will be followed including
the following:
a) Heading the ball is allowed in the 12U group.
S. PLAYER/COACH/SPECTATOR MISCONDUCT
Suspensions received by players/coaches will be served within the context of the event.
a) Any coach rostered to more than one team in the competition who is sent off/dismissed
from a match shall sit out a minimum of the next scheduled match of the team with which
the send off was awarded.
b) A dismissed/sent off Coach/Administrator cannot have contact with his/her team during
the game or games until the team and Referees have left the field. No communication with
players or team officials is permitted during the suspended game. Violations of this will
result in additional discipline action being taken by the Event Committee, including but not
limited to additional games suspended or recommendations to the home State
Association.
c) Players who are serving a disciplinary suspension may remain in the technical area
provided they are out of uniform and act in a responsible manner. If a player serving a
suspension acts in an irresponsible manner and requiring their removal from the field of
play the Event Committee will require additional suspension (s) to be served either during
this Region IV Event or during the following State Association’s Season of play.
d) Spectators asked to leave by a Referee or other event official must immediately depart
the field area and are required to remain out of sight and sound of the game until the team
has departed the field of play.
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e) If a player/coach/spectator is sent off/dismissed the Referee will submit the game report
to the Event Committee. The player/coach/team official/spectator shall be subjected to a
one game suspension with the following exceptions:
TWO (2) OR MORE GAME SUSPENSION
1) Violent Conduct: Examples include, but are not necessarily limited to: Striking or
attempting to strike another player, team official or spectator, entering the field of play
during an altercation.
2) Spits at an opponent or any other person
3) Miscellaneous: Any player, substitute, team official or coach who refuses the Referee’s
request for their name, or gives a false name, while the Referee is gathering
information to report to the Event Committee involving them, shall have a minimum of
one (1) game added to the suspension that would normally be levied by the Event
Committee. The length of suspension listed above and found in the Rules of
Competition are to be regarded as minimum suspensions and the Event Committee
may at its sole discretion impose any additional sanctions or suspension its determines
is necessary.
4) Coaches and assistant coaches or team officials sent off the field of play for Violent
Conduct shall have one (1) additional game added to the suspension that would
normally be levied against a player for a similar infringement. Based on the severity
of the incident, the Event Committee may refer the incident to the United States Soccer
Federation for review and possible further action.
T. PROTEST AND APPEALS
SECTION 1:
All questions relating to the qualifications of competitors, interpretation of rules, or any dispute
or protest concerning the competition, shall be referred to the Event Committee.
SECTION 2:
a) To be valid and eligible for consideration, each protest:
1) Must be orally lodged by a team official listed on the team roster involved in the game
with the Referee and with the opposing coach at the game site before entering the
field of play, start of the match or leaving the game site, except as provided in
subsection (b) of this section; and
2) Must be filed in writing with the Event Committee within two (2) hours after the
completion of the game being protested, accompanied by:
i.
A $300 fee which would be refunded if the protest was upheld.
ii.
Two (2) written copies of the protest, which must include full particulars of the
grounds on which the protest is lodged: and
iii.
Two (2) written copies of any information to be presented by witnesses.
b) Any protest relating to the grounds, goal posts, bars, or other appurtenances of the game
shall be entertained only if a written objection has been lodged with the Referee and the
opposing coach prior to the start of the match.
c) The Region IV Presidents Cup Committee, shall immediately on receipt of the protest
notify the team against which the protest is made and shall provide a copy of the protest
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and an applicable details to that team, which will then have the right to defend its case,
with or without witnesses.
d)
Protests regarding decisions of a match official will not be accepted.
SECTION 3:
a) A decision may be appealed as provided by US Youth Soccer Bylaw 703. Any such appeal
must be filed in writing within two (2) hours of receiving the decision of the Event
Committee, with the Chairman of that Committee who shall immediately notify the Region
IV Cup Committee.
b) Each appeal filed under subsection (a) of this section must be accompanied by:
1) A fee in an amount determined by the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors; and
2) Two (2) written copies of the appeal.
SECTION 4: Any party to a protest or appeal shall be accorded the right to be assisted in the
presentation of the party’s case at the protest or appeal meeting.
SECTION 5: A plea of ignorance to the rules and regulations of this competition is not
sufficient grounds for a protest or appeal. Violators may expect appropriate action by US
Youth Soccer.
U. FIELD OF PLAY
 75 yards (length)
 47 yards (width)
 Goals will be 7 feet (height) x 21 feet (width)
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Proposed January 2017
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